Trichotillomania
(I'm still not 100% sure if that's how it's spelt but anyways) I have had this condition since I was 11, I am now nearly 18 and have come to the decision that this needs to stop. This disorder has quite literally ruined my teenage life for me, from socialising with friends, going swimming, going to the beach, being intimate with people; I have to plan my life around my hair and I hate that it has come to that. This has taken over my life now for seven whole years and it needs to come to an end. I have stopped in the past and my hair has grown again, but it doesn't take long for the urge to come back and I start pulling again. I am now in a situation where my hair is at its worst it's ever been, because recently I have been pulling my hair out non stop and it has caused me to become so stressed out. When I think about how all my friends have such long flowing hair like I used to have and I have to wear mine tied up wherever I go to hide the bald patches, I feel annoyed at myself and so distressed and my "cure" to make me feel better is to continue to pull at my hair again. Please can anyone going through what I am struggling so badly with, give me any advice or tips on how to stop pulling my hair and how I can make my hair grow quicker, it would be greatly appreciated. I need to stop this terrible habit as its beginning to really get me down and makes me feel so self conscious and is taking over my life.
Replies
Hello, I also started at about 11 and now I am 30. It is really hard to just tell yourself to stop. It has gotten worse for me. I kind of feel like i minimized it but notice in pictures a bald spot showing and it is so embarrassing. This past month i have been mostly wearing a bun. I have decided to be strict and not pull at least not on top. My advice is to take baby steps as relapse is likely. I would recommend constantly telling yourself to remember don't pull and if you have that urge like you have to pull just pull or tweeze your leg hairs. Also I have heard it is great to be around people because that is when your are least likely to pull. I would say do this until your hair grows back and you have also decreased your anxiety. The other method is to always wear a hat or be involved in a hobby that keeps your hands messy like ceramics or baking.
I have had it since I was nine and am now nearly 15. I have tried telling myself to stop, used stuff in my hands ( stress ball, stuffed animal), I have wrapped my hair, worn a hat everywhere, and did all this in bed as well. It eventually got to a point where I was completely bald on top that I was wearing head bands to cover it up. When school ended that year I went to Hair Club. For kids it is free but I had to get a custom made hair piece that was glued to my head. I told my mother that I had stopped and got it removed after a year. The thing is that I didn't stop. I got the piece on when I was 13 over the summer going to 8th grade. I still haven't stopped butnmy mom believed me so I was able to get the piece off and get my hair cut. Not long after that I was pulling my own hair again. I really need some advice to stop. Please if anyone has anything that worked for then please let me know.